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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                            FEBRUARY 13, 2026       |  The Indian Eye 20

                         GOPIO-Led Meeting of Community

             Leaders Outlines Strategic Civic Response

                to Rising Bias Against Indian Americans

            OUR BUREAU
            New York, NY

                  eaders of the Global Organiza-
                  tion of People of Indian Origin
            L(GOPIO)  USA  and  represen-
            tatives  of  several  Indian  American
            community  organizations  met  on
            January 19, 2026, to deliberate on the
            growing incidence of anti-Indian and
            anti-Hindu sentiment in the United
            States  and  to  chart  a  collective  re-
            sponse grounded in civic engagement,
            democratic values, and social respon-
            sibility.
                The  meeting  was  chaired  and
            moderated by Dr. Thomas Abraham,
            Chairman of GOPIO USA, who pre-
            sented  an  overview  of  recent  chal-
            lenges  confronting  the  community
            and outlined possible strategic path-
            ways to address them. GOPIO Inter-
            national President Prakash Shah told
            participants that the recent spike in
            hostile rhetoric appeared to be driv-
            en by a small fringe from the extreme
            right and did not reflect mainstream
            American opinion or values.
                Participants  stressed  that  the
            Indian  American  community  has   tion  and  sustained  commitment  to   Strengthening civic engagement   Concluding  the  meeting,  partic-
            a  long-standing  record  of  peaceful   the country’s growth and prosperity.  emerged  as  a  central  theme  of  the   ipants  called  for  greater  unity  and
            integration, respect for the law, and   The discussion noted that recent   meeting.  Leaders  underscored  the   coordination  among  existing  organ-
            constructive  participation  in  public   increases in online hostility and bias   importance  of  balancing  cultur-  isations  to  avoid  duplication  of  ef-
            life. While acknowledging that isolat-  incidents appear to be linked less to   al  pride  with  deeper  assimilation   forts and to amplify impact. GOPIO
            ed misunderstandings and incidents   issues  of  crime  or  integration  and   through active participation in civic   reaffirmed its role as an inclusive and
            can  occur,  community  leaders  said   more to economic anxieties, politici-  institutions,  neighbourhoods,  and   trusted platform for dialogue, institu-
            these should not obscure the broad-  sation of skilled immigration, racial   democratic processes. The group dis-  tional engagement, and positive sto-
            er reality of overwhelmingly positive   profiling, and the rapid spread of ste-  cussed initiatives aimed at expanding   rytelling about the Indian diaspora.
            contributions  by  Indian  Americans   reotypes  through  digital  platforms.  voter  engagement,  civic  education,   “The  Indian  diaspora’s  story  is
            to the social, economic, and civic fab-  Participants  agreed  that  such  chal-  youth  leadership  development,  and   one  of  peaceful  integration,  civic
            ric of the United States.         lenges require a calibrated and stra-  bipartisan  outreach,  alongside  en-  contribution,  and  shared  prosper-
                Speakers  highlighted  the  com-  tegic response, rather than confron-  couraging participation in local com-  ity,”  participants  said,  adding  that
            munity’s  prominent  role  across  key   tation, in order to protect community   munity  activities,  charitable  work,  the community’s response to present
            sectors,  including  education,  infor-  safety while upholding constitutional   and interfaith efforts.  challenges  must  remain  measured,
            mation technology, medicine, hospi-  principles and democratic norms.   Community  leaders  also  empha-  principled, and focused on strength-
            tality, finance, entrepreneurship, and   As part of this approach, GOPIO   sised the need to proactively highlight   ening the societies it calls home.
            public  service.  Indian  Americans   decided to establish a dedicated com-  positive contributions made by Indian   As a concrete follow-up, GOPIO
            hold  leadership  positions  in  numer-  mittee to document incidents of bias,  Americans and to engage responsibly   announced the formation of a Task
            ous Fortune 500 companies and are   assist affected individuals, and coor-  with  media  and  policymakers.  They   Force  to  document  hate  campaigns
            associated with nearly 20 per cent of   dinate a constructive public response.  said  it  was  important  to  distinguish   and  civil  rights  violations  affecting
            startups in Silicon Valley. Estimates   The committee will also seek collabo-  between legitimate policy debate and   the community. The Task Force will
            discussed at the meeting placed the   ration with other minority and faith-  harmful  stereotyping  or  digital  hate,  be  chaired  by  Rajender  Dichpally,
            community’s annual contribution to   based  organisations  to  strengthen   while  building  coalitions  with  other   with  members  Nagaraj  Subbarao
            the  U.S.  economy  at  around  USD   inter-community  solidarity  and  re-  communities  committed  to  plural-  Sarma, Pankaj Sharma, Miraj Joshi,
            600  billion,  reflecting  deep  integra-  inforce  shared  democratic  values.  ism,  inclusion,  and  social  harmony.  and Jayashri Chintalapudi.

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